


Summer of '85

by rachelarcher



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-26
Updated: 2016-05-07
Packaged: 2018-05-29 04:02:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6358429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachelarcher/pseuds/rachelarcher
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Teenagers and water.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

1985 - Georgia

 

As far back as Daryl Dixon could remember the pond had been here, his group of friends had been there. Hershel Greene had owned the campground, and boat house, with his two daughter’s Maggie and Beth, and they lived at the campground year round. So did the Dixon’s, Daryl, his brother Merle, his father William, and his uncle Jesse.  
The pond was his favorite place to be, it always had been. For several reasons, first and foremost, because when summer started his big group of friends would all be together again. The second reason, was because she would come, she was the one thing he looked forward to more than his friends, Hannah Walton, her grandparents lived in one of the fancy houses across the pond, next to his best friend Rick Grimes’s parent’s summer lake house.  
But, it was still four weeks until her summer would start, they only had a couple more days of school, when the house across the lake started to show inhabitants. It was not her grandparents like he expected, it was a man he had never seen before.  
The first day she was there, Daryl was at school, when Merle Dixon watched and imagined he could hear the slamming doors, then he saw her running down the long steps to the waterfront, throwing her shirt and pants off before she was in the water, he was already on the floating dock, at the middle point of the pond, smoking. Hannah was swimming then, headed for him, when she reached the edge of the dock, he yanked her up. “Was headed to see ya, noticed ya were here.” Her accent flowing through his body like his blood, something he shared with Daryl was utmost respect and love for Hannah.  
“Ya h’re awful early.” Merle said, resting back on his elbows, her laying down next to him.  
“Shit went bad in New York.” She explained. Out here in the backwoods of Georgia between King County and Atlanta, it was as far away from the city as she could be.  
“Well, ‘s fine buh me, Darylena will be happy to see ya.” She heard Merle muse, smoke lofting from his mouth.  
“I bet.” She laughed, she could see William Dixon screaming something across the other end of the lake.  
“Ya comin?” Merle asked her, tucking a ziplock bag into his pocket. She nodded, diving into the water with him, she never bothered to look back across the way at her grandmother or the lawyer, who by now was at the water’s edge screaming.  
When they reached the bank William chuckled, “Hanny, summer already?” It was no secret that Daryl counted down the days until she showed up. William tossed her a bag.  
“Get dressed, got shit to do.” Merle snapped at her irritated that William was awake.  
She followed him into the trailer, the duffle bag of clothes still in her arms. “Maggie musta brought them over, knowin’ I was home.” She guessed. No one ever stayed the night at the Dixon’s house, no one except Hannah.  
She waited briefly before opening the bag, and laughing. “Last years left behinds!” She stripped, not caring if he was watching or not, and slipped on a halter top and short shorts, as far as he could tell no underwear underneath. Then she tugged on her cowboy boots. “Looked all over for these damn things.” Merle peeled his own shorts off, and pulled on cargo pants and a wife beater. Slipping on shoes as they made for the front door. Then they were out the door, climbing into Merle’s truck.  
“Ya miss dad?” Merle asked carefully as they headed toward the Greene house.  
“Nah.” She nodded at Abraham Ford, one of Merle’s buddies who was between their ages that sat in the front seat of the truck with Merle, Abraham reached a hand out and rubbed her arm.  
“Hey there, Hanny.” Abraham waved at her.  
“Hi there Abe!” She kissed his scruffy cheek, and laughed at the bright orange beard he was growing.  
“Where we headed, Merle?” She asked after a while, when they started to near town.  
“Get Darlenna. Schools bout over, today and ‘morrow is half days.” Merle explained, as he shifted, he knocked her knees out of the way. “Well, it’s early.” He said looking at the clock on the dash.  
She laughed then, “I got money, let’s go to the piggly-wiggly.”  
Merle looked at her. “You buy me smokes and drink?”  
“Sure, you take me to town so I can get some food for yer house, yea. I am alone for the summer and I plan on being a Dixon until my grandparent’s comes home.” Merle chuckled, this happened every year. She spent all summer as white trash, then went home to her nice New York Apartment, and went to a private school. He knew she hated it, and every chance she got summer or not, she was down here at the pond.  
“A’ight darling.” Merle nodded at her. Looking over at Abraham who seemed more than content to ride along with them. The ride into town was comfortable. Merle had grown up around Hannah, and much like most of the girls from the pond, he didn’t chase her or make too many dirty jokes. No, he knew who she belonged to, even if neither of them knew it yet.  
“A’ight, lets get shoppin.” Her twain starting to pick up. He watched her slide out of the truck, then hop down. She was waiting on him and Abraham at the front of the Piggly-Wiggly. Merle didn’t come to this part of town often and when he did, they were always worried about being robbed. Much to her amusement he sort of hovered by the front, she gathered up eggs, milk, beer, bacon, hamburger, bread, basic staple food groups. She also grabbed up all the Pepsi and mountain dew she could. She made her way to the front, and met Merle. The girl was shaking, visibly at the counter.  
“Ya gonna ring us up or what?” Hannah asked, expectantly. The little girl did just that, and when it came to the alcohol she didn’t even card Merle Dixon. He asked for his smokes, then they carried the groceries on out to the truck. The 1970 Ford F-150 was temperamental at best, but Merle kept it and his bike going.  
“This gonna be tha summ’r?” Merle asked.  
“Summer of what?” Hannah watched him shift the truck, bumping her knee rather hard.  
“Ya or Daryl get the balls to fuck?” Hannah blushed, and adjusted in the seat, tucking her legs under her body, and leaning out the window, ignoring his question. It was a good thirty-minute drive back across to King County High, where all the pond dwellers and those from Southside attended school. Abraham had taken a seat in the back of the truck, and he could not seem to stop laughing.  
Hannah was sitting in the window of the truck waiting on the gang to make it out. Merle lit a cigarette and leaned against the tailgate. “Merle, it might just be,” She answered him finally. Abraham looked just as shocked in the rear view as Merle was.  
Daryl came out the front doors, Shane hot on his heels. Yelling about something, the others in the pack were starting to move around. Shane punched Daryl in the face, and Rick was at his side instantly, then it was an all-out brawl. The pond kids’ vs the rich kids. Hannah was out the truck window, and running. She slammed into Shane, knocking him off balance, and it was enough for Daryl and Rick to get away to the truck, dragging her, the rest of the crew running after them. Merle already had the truck going, and they were in, and he was pointing it towards the pond.  
“Damn, Hannah.” Daryl snapped, “When did ya get home?”  
“Last night.” She flung her arms around him, pressing her face into his neck, then kissed Rick on the cheek. “I missed ya something fierce, boys!”  
There had been whispers around their small town about what had happened back in New York or Kentucky, her family lived in both places, her dad a lawyer in Manhattan and her mother a professor in Kentucky, why her grandparents spent most of the last three months out of town. Everyone had heard the rumors, Hannah’s dad had snapped, and killed her mother, then turned himself in. Her grandparents had only gone up North long enough for her to return home from the New York boarding school her father insisted that she go to, then she and her grandma had returned.  
“What is all this?” Daryl asked carefully, they were looking at the groceries.  
“Dinner, breakfast, enough for the next couple weeks. I know all ya dad and Merle care or fuss about is the beer.” Hannah explained.  
“Ya stay at the Dixon house?” Rick asked.  
“When I am down for the summer, yea, every year since we was little, they don’t scare me.” It occurred to everyone in summers past they had never seen Hannah without Daryl, they just assumed that she made her way across the water every day. Everyone except Maggie and Beth.  
“Rest of us just stay at Hershel’s.” Morgan explained to Rick.  
“Yeah, Rick ya got that big house, and you never notice what happens around ya if it aint Shane or Lori.” Tyreese snapped.  
“They ain’t so bad.” Rick grumbled.  
“Well, once we get to the pond ya’ll can go on,” Daryl growled, angry at the thought of Shane. “Merle and I got to do some stuff, and Hanny is gonna wanna clean.”  
When they made it back to the pond, Merle slowed the truck at Hershel’s letting the majority of the kids clamber out. Hershel made his way to the cab of the truck and looked at Merle. “She’s not ok, ya know that. Her family is dyin’.”  
“Daryl will.” Merle laughed, Hershel clapped his arm.  
William Dixon hated to admit it but since Daryl was roughly eleven even he looked forward to the damn summers, it meant that little girl would be around, cooking, and keeping the boys from jail. Today he was in prime form when she came through the door with the first sack of groceries. “Mr. Dixon.” She nodded at him, and skirted him to the kitchen.  
“Ya get the budwiser, darlin?” She handed him a can, and went to work putting the food up. “Ya down here alone this time.”  
“I am moving back permanently. So I’ll be around a lot more.” William nodded in her direction and sank back into his recliner, turning the television on. He didn’t press her about her family, didn’t really care.  
She cooked, then, with Merle and Daryl moving around the house, cleaning as she asked. When the burgers were cooked, and fries done, she made William’s first, she knew better than to serve the boys, a lesson that had left a scar on her leg. Something she never told her parents about. William would also need a new beer by now, so she dug it out of the fridge, and made her way into the living room. She handed both to him, and smiled.  
Then she fed Merle and Daryl, waiting until last to get her plate, she sank down to the table with them. “Good to be home.”  
Daryl would never understand what it was she liked about being there. When Daryl’s mother died, she came home, ran away in the middle of the night. Hitch-hiked all the way down here, they were nine at the time, and she was in so much trouble. But she screamed and fought, until they let her stay the following two weeks. Even then she was doing for William, but his terrible temper had earned her a scar on her leg, ran from her knee to hip, when she mistakenly fed Daryl first. Will would get drunk and take his temper to the boys, breaking everything in the house. And in the mornings, as long as she was there, she would nurse William’s hangover, and clean the house, make breakfast, then they would be out for the day. She would fix them dinner that night, and William would praise her, offhandedly that she would make some sonofabitch a good wife, someday.  
Daryl had no clue until he was about thirteen what might have kept her coming back. She kissed him in his bed, just a small peck on the lips, but enough that he cried for days when she left. He was a gonner after that, Merle saw it, William saw it. But William used it to hurt his son. “She comes down’er to play house with us, but the she goes right on back home cause she sees ya aint nothin’.”  
Merle did his best to remind Daryl she was not old enough to make the decision to stay, but that he knew she would if she could. She said so the last day every year. “I wish I could live with you, I’d stay and take care of ya’ll, someone has to.” And she kissed him, last year, and the year before.  
“Good for ya to be here.” Merle said between mouthfuls of fries and burger, chomping away. She handed him a beer, and smiled. Daryl nodded when she asked if he wanted one.  
“Where did ya get the tattoos? Didn’t have uhm last year.” She asked Daryl.  
“Gift from Merle.”  
...  
He watched her in his room, unpacking the few things she brought from her house, when she turned around with a box wrapped in her hands, he looked confused. “It’s for you, Dar.” She smiled at him, pressing it into his hands. She would eventually have to go get the rest of her things out of the Walton house.  
“Ain’t got ya nothin’” He groaned.  
“This is everything.” She motioned to the bedroom around her.  
He snorted, he hated it here unless she was here. “So, I open it?” He couldn’t remember when he had received a wrapped anything. She nodded. He tore it open, and wrapped up in the box was two things. One was a leather vest with wings on the back of it, and the other, was a card. He carefully opened the card, “Happy Birthday, Dar. I remember you wanting a vest like this, when we saw those bikers at the pond, but your real gift, is just beside ya.” Daryl looked up and saw her face, her messy almost black hair. “What is this?”  
She tackled him, pressing him against the bed, the leather vest dropping out of his hands, and the card. She was tickling him, making him squirm underneath her, then she was kissing him, her lips on his made the fire he always felt around her burn. He kissed her back, and when she pulled away he was confused. She smiled at him, watching his every mood. “I get to pick who has custody of me, with everything that’s happened.”  
“So you really are staying?”  
“Yep.” She kissed him again.  
Merle barreled into the room, William hot on him, screaming. She jumped and fell back against the headboard, and soon Merle was stretched out between Daryl and her on the bed, William bringing his belt down on Merle. Screaming something she didn’t fully understand. Then his attention was on her. “Ya come round for tha summer, make my boys fools, then ya leave.” The belt crashed down on her shoulder making her yelp. Then he brought the belt down on Daryl’s chest, and left. Passing back out in his chair.  
“Merle, Daryl are you ok?” She was asking them, trying to make sure both were good. Before either answered Merle was out the window, Daryl shoving her out of window and scooped up his vest, tumbling out after her. Merle was dragging them to the truck.  
“I think we ought to stay out of the house, a bit.” Daryl said finally. Once in the cab, they pulled her shirt over her head, and Daryl ran his hand down the whelp on her flesh. “Ya didn’t even cry.”  
“Daryl, ever wonder why I thrive in ya house?” She was so close to him, her bikini top was a pale blue and he was trying to focus on anything but that. “It’s because it was the same at my house, except my daddy, he never leaves these kind of marks, no he leaves the ones in your heart.”  
Daryl and Merle shared a look, the truck bumped down the road. They made it to Hershel’s on the far side of the pond, and they climbed out. Hershel noticed the red mark on her chest before she tugged her shirt back on over her head. He also noticed how Daryl’s hand lingered on the small of her back. Merle took off down the road then, speeding and never looking back.  
...  
They were back at the pond, all of the younger ones, Merle off with his friends, they were on the floating dock. No one had bothered to look for her yet, which meant one of two things, they didn’t know she hadn’t come back yet, or they simply didn’t care.  
Hershel always said in the summer he had about fifteen children, because once it really took off, the kids would all camp up in his boat house. Daryl slept there sometimes when Merle and William were too drunk.  
Hannah was stretched out on the dock, with her head in Daryl’s lap and Rick's head on her waist. “I’ll be around from now on, so all of ya’ll can expect to spend this summer in the rich house on the hill.” She pointed up to the white pillared entrance of her family’s lake house.  
“That sounds great, except Rick’s parents live next door.” Sasha pointed out, stretching lazily.  
“Nah, mom left town, dad is in Japan for the next forever on deployment, my aunt is supposed to be keeping me, but shit, she won’t notice me gone.” Rick commented absentmindedly as he looked up at the night sky.  
“Wish we could just live, all of us and be free.” Hannah whispered, they must have all fallen asleep on the dock, because in the early morning they could hear Hershel with his air horn, screaming about school.  
Hannah was left alone, so she swam clothes and all back to the Walton House. Her grandmother was gone, with a note explaining that she had to head back to Kentucky for something related to the case, and wouldn’t be back for a week or so, and please don’t spend the whole time at the Dixon’s. She laughed, stuffing her duffle bag full, and began a long walk around the lake. When she made it to the trailer that William, Merle and Daryl lived in, she carefully climbed into the back window where Daryl’s room was, tucking her things under the bed. She could hear William snoring, and sighed. Merle was probably fast asleep too. She laid down in Daryl’s bed and closed her eyes. When she heard the first tumble of movement through the house, she sat upright.  
Merle was peaking in, “Do the deed?”  
She snorted, “Nah, ya hungry?”  
He nodded and she was up, cooking breakfast, the smell of bacon and eggs seemed to marinade the house, soon even William was up. She set their plates out, handing Merle a cola and William a beer, then she slipped off to shower.  
Her tank top ended a couple inches above her short blue jean shorts, and a thin crochet sweater pulled over top, her hair was braided down her back in a long fishtail. Merle chuckled, “Pullin out all the stops, huh?”  
She rolled her eyes and sank down next to William. “Mr. Dixon, can I talk to you.”  
The man looked at her, but tilted his head in agreement, if only slightly.  
“You all know what happened right, my dad lost his fuckin mind, killed my mom, went to jail. The judge in Paducah, Kentucky says I can choose who I want to live with, here in Georgia as long as they are willing to take me in. Please I’ll cook and clean, I’ll do anything ya need, even keep beer in the house, I get an allowance until I am 18 and can get my inheritance.” The wheels seemed to be turning in his mind.  
“What do I gotta do?”  
“Just ride with us to town, and sign this in front of the magistrate. Won’t take long at all, even buy ya a carton of smokes for the trouble.”  
Merle watched the exchanged, curious. Hannah was good at convincing Dixon men to do exactly what she wanted, like two summers ago, when she had convinced him to teach her to drive, ended up wrecking the truck, and William had beat both him and Daryl senseless.  
“Money comin’ in would be nice.” William looked at her sharply. “A’ight, Hanny. But my rules, my house.”  
She nodded somewhat solemnly, but was pleased with the outcome, once breakfast was cleaned up William slid into the driver’s seat, Hannah in the middle, and Merle beside her. Merle carefully pulled her legs into his lap, not trusting his father to not be inappropriate in some way as they made their way to the courthouse.  
...  
“Now, Hannah, hunny, we both know the judge didn’t mean for you to live with just anyone.” Judge Lisette looked between her and William Dixon.  
“I poured over that document, Judge, doesn’t say a thing about who it needs to be, it says as long as I get consent of the head of household, it doesn’t matter.” He looked Hannah square in the face and knew she was right.  
“Hannah, your momma wouldn’t want this.”  
“My momma is dead, my grandparents refuse to look at me because I look like her, and my dad ain’t around. Seeing as I ain’t got no other family, the only place I feel safe is with Merle and Daryl.” She snapped back.  
“But, Hannah.”  
“William signed it, and the magistrate OK’ed it, I picked, now that is that.” She snapped, the Judge just shook his head. “Aren’t you always sayin when I am here the crime rate goes down, if I’m here all the time, imagine how low it will be.”  
The Judge looked like he wanted to say something, but he just snapped his lips shut, and pressed them together until they were pale. “William, is this alright with you?”  
William Dixon was a mean sonofabitch, and she had no clue how he pulled it off, but he smiled, and hugged her, tightly crushing her, “Love her more than my own.” She didn’t doubt his sincerity, neither did Lisette, who just sighed and threw his hands up.  
When they made it back to the pond it was time for Merle to head into town and get the kids from school. She handed him ten dollars to put gas in the truck, which made him nod appreciatively. She gave William one of his much deserved beers, and went about cooking spaghetti for lunch.  
She heard them all long before she saw them, and finished packing the large picnic basket she had decided to make for the day. She had fed William, and liquored him up and he was fast asleep. “Merle, help me with this!” He heard her call.  
Soon enough Merle and Daryl were packing a cooler and the picnic basket into the back of the truck. “Going to the low part of the pond.” She explained and pointed her finger to the west part of the pond, which was the farthest point from all their houses. “Picnic.” She explained. Much to Daryl’s amusement Abraham, Maggie, Beth, Merle, and Rick didn’t complain. There was something about having Hannah back that just seemed to make the world brighter.  
They didn’t fully understand what they were celebrating, but school was over and both Merle and Hannah seemed to be in unnaturally good spirits for having spent most of the day around William.  
As the afternoon ended and the sky turned dark, it was Merle who said “Lets party.” And the idea seemed to ripple through them. Everyone darting to their homes to change clothes. Hannah slipped on tight blue jeans and a KISS t-shirt, tossing her almost black hair up into some sort of messy bun. She slipped into the bed of the truck and waited on Daryl. Soon he was beside her, his vest on, with flannel shirt underneath, sleeves rolled up and dark cargo pants, she rested against him, happy to feel at home. The truck roared to life as Abraham climbed up front with Merle.  
Merle slowed down at the Greene house long enough for Maggie and Beth to clamber in the back of the truck with Hannah and Daryl, and Hershel to yell “DON’T GET ARRESTED AGAIN!” After them.  
“Long school year?” Hannah asked the girls. Maggie was her age, but Beth was two years younger.  
“You betchya! We missed you, sorry about...!” Beth was hugging her.  
“Dad is on trial for killing my mom, so the judge asked where I wanted to go.” She summed it up, her body resting against Daryl’s body, her hair tickling his face. “Where we headed?”  
After a long pause Maggie squeezed her shoulder with love then said, “On a Friday, to the warehouses.”  
“She don’t know.” Beth snapped.  
“They have live bands, and beer, at the warehouses.” Daryl explained.  
“Cool.” Hannah rested against him as the truck barreled forward. Merle stopped a couple more times, in what was considered the worst part of Southside, for Morgan and Michonne Jones (twins) to climb into the back followed by Sasha Williams who was their age, and Tyreese Williams who was a year or two older than them. Hannah hugged them all four, happy to see that in the last year Merle had managed to maintain his racial surges.  
“We gotta get Rick?” Daryl hear Merle ask from up front.  
“Ain’t commin, out with Lori and Shane, I reckon.” Daryl responded, so the truck turned east and slowed at the Calhoun’s, they were the only family in town who took in foster kids, and three spilled out the front door. Glenn who instantly took his spot next to Maggie, Rosita who climbed into Abraham’s lap, and Tara, who sank down next to Morgan.  
“What about Eugene?” Hannah asked wondering if they were still talking to that boy.  
“Daddy sent him off to boarding school, got more money than sense, he’ll be back when summer starts.” Beth snorted.  
Daryl was lost in his thoughts, the first summer they had all spent time together was before Mrs. Greene died, she ran a church camp at the campground that summer, when Daryl was five, and all the kids crowded in the truck, Eugene, Rick, Shane, Lori and some others had come. The difference, was that Lori and Shane both grew up arrogant. Some of the kids that came to that camp never came back to camp again at Southern Oaks, but hell, maybe it was because of Mrs. Greene. She died the next year, cancer. Hershel threw himself into drinking with a fierce passion, William Dixon and Jesse Dixon, Daryl’s father and uncle, managed to keep the place going work wise, eventually maybe by the time Daryl was eight, Hershel was back to his old self, but there was no denying that that church camp summer was what brought them all together. Even Merle who complained and bitched that he was constantly badgered by the younger kids, had to admit that he liked being around them.  
The truck had stopped and Hannah was standing, dragging him up with her. “Daryl, come on.” The sun would be sinkin soon, and as much as he wanted to know what she and Merle had been up to today, it didn’t matter. Fear in the back of his mind told him someone would come for Hannah, like they always did, when she was too long at the Dixon’s.  
Happened every summer, the week her parents used to stay, the first week, each day they would drag the little girl away from the Dixon’s, after they left though, the old Walton’s let her do what she wanted. Didn’t even bother to check her story about staying with the Greene’s.  
Before he knew what was happening, Merle was helping the girls outta the back of the truck, and from the corner of his eye he caught sight of Shane’s mustang and groaned. “Sonofabitch.” She heard him growl.  
Looking up she saw Lori and Shane trailing behind Rick. “HANNY!” He called waving, scooping her up in his arms and swinging her about. “Good to see ya!” Daryl snorted, he had saw her yesterday. “Guess ya really are staying?”  
She laughed, and caught Lori’s cold stare, she moved out of his arms and back towards the Dixon’s. “Yeah, for good.” Merle chuckled, him and Abraham slipping ahead of the youngsters.  
Daryl felt her body brush into his and he rested a hand on her hip. “We goin in or what?” Daryl managed to snarl, his eyes trained on Shane.  
Rick knew he made a mistake bringing Lori and Shane the moment the others moved past them, trailing Merle and Abraham without so much as a word. The music inside the warehouse was loud, with strobe lights flashing, and the smell of pot and beer making the whole place intoxicating.  
Rick made a move to talk to Daryl, but found that he was already doing what he considered dancing with the others, it was more of a fight for dominance, seeing who was able to bring the other down as the loud rock metal music seemed to crowd his senses. He knew how Daryl and Hannah were together, thick as thieves, both running from something invisible in the dead of night, both desperate to be free of unwanted parents and expectations.  
Rick looked around but couldn’t find Lori or Shane he ducked out, and found them by the car. He realized the must not have noticed him, because she was leaning into him, kissing him on the mouth. When he growled, Shane looked at him, and paled. Rick snapped, “GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE!”  
Shane looked like he had been slapped in the face, but he shoved Lori in the car, and turned the engine over, pulling out of the parking lot. Rick slipped back in, pushing his way into the crazy fray dancing, when he managed to get close enough to Daryl, he shouted “SENT UHM AWAY!”  
They left in the early morning hours, Merle dropping all the kids off at Hershel’s except Daryl and Hannah. Together Merle and Hannah maneuvered Daryl into the house, once Shane was gone he had drunk way too much, way too quickly. Once dropping Daryl into his bed, Merle made his way to his room, and locked the door. Hannah helped Daryl out of all his clothes but his boxers, and she shimmied off her pants and her bra. Settling down beside him, in his KISS t-shirt and her underwear, she pulled the thin blanket over top of them, looking briefly at Daryl, and smiling. She would tell him first thing in the morning the good news.  
Daryl was the first to wake up, the sun spilling into the room. Hannah was curled up tight next to him, her leg over his waist, and her arm on his chest. He smiled. “Mornin’” She breathed, “I have good news for ya.”  
“Really, what?” He asked, stretching, without making her move.  
“Yer daddy signed the papers yesterday for me to live here, ‘ah got to choose who ‘ah could live with, and ‘ah chose y’all.” She was stretching herself then, her body now straddling his.  
“What?” Daryl was having trouble processing what she had just said.  
She bent down, kissing his forehead, “Ain’t no one takin’ me away now, ever. Gonna live like a Dixon.” He still looked confused, she lowered down to his ear and whispered. “I ain’t never leavin’ ya again.”  
The realization of what she had said seeping in, he pushed her off, and rushed to where his father is. “Dad!” He was shaking his father. “Did you sign for Hannah to live here.”  
Merle snorted, the excitement on Daryl’s face was going to get him in trouble, sure enough, William punched him in the jaw. “Yea, got us a little maid.” He responded.  
By now Hannah was up, a pair of pj pants on her hips, and she was getting eggs and bacon out. Daryl was behind her in a moment. “Forever, then?”  
“Yea, someone’s gotta take care of you lot.” She managed, turning to look at him, a smile edged across her face.  
He would have kissed her then, but Merle came round, grabbing her middle and swinging her. “Got me a rich sister!” He crowed.  
William laughed in the other room, “Merle, yew lot gotta run up to Atlanta and get Jesse outta the slammer.”  
“A’ight, I hear ya, takin Abraham after breakfast.” Merle snapped, then ducked as a beer bottle rattled in his direction.  
“We have stuff to do today, Daryl.” Hannah explained. “Stuff at the Walton house.” Daryl nodded. Hannah was born before her parents were married, and her mother had never taken her father’s last name, never taken the Brady. For that matter, Hannah had never taken it either.  
He found himself following her to the sandy beach, and watched as she tugged her clothing off, down to a bikini. He followed suit, and watched her jump into the water. The school she attended, she was on the swim team, he had been before Merle had started letting him drink and smoke, he couldn’t seem to stay in school, much anymore. He watched her surge in front of him, then slow up so he could catch up. As they reached the other shore, she stood, pulling a hair tie from her wrist and tossed her black locks up. Daryl followed her up the stairs to the main house, and picked the lock for her. “Bugger’s know I’m around and don’t even bother to leave the front door open.”  
“With Merle here would ya?” Daryl stood up, the door popping open.  
“Nah.” She laughed, taking his hand and dragging him into the house. He had never been there, not in the day light, not in any room except hers. Her family would never have stood for it. He followed her up the marble laid staircase and into her room. She was taking the things that mattered to her. Daryl stood in the doorway, looking around, confused, unsure what she wanted him to do. “Daryl, think you could get us a ride into town?”  
“Huh? Sure, we could ask Hershel. I’m 16 and all.” Daryl responded. “Why?”  
“Gonna need another vehicle, for round here, me and you.”  
“How much money ya got?”  
“Almost 10,000 for the next year, and then two more years like that, then all the money my dad had put back for my inheritance at 18 – shit might buy the whole pond and pay off its debt then.” She was absentmindedly tossing things into bags, and not really paying much attention to him.  
He was slow, deliberate, creeping up on her, then tackling her, slamming her body onto the bed. He held her down, tickling her. “Gonna by me a house?”  
“Sure, if ya gonna marry me.” She snorted, making him laugh, then he was suddenly very serious.  
“Nice house?”  
“Nice wedding?”  
“My own room?”  
“Share with me, like always?”  
“Food in the kitchen?”  
“A real preacher?”  
It was a game they had played many times before, he always asked her for a house and she always asked him to marry her. He wasn’t sure either would ever happen really. Her deciding to live with them, though, that counted for something.  
...  
She was cooking dinner when Merle, Jesse, and Abraham made it home. Jesse was excited to see the little girl, grabbing her around the middle and swinging her around like a rag doll. “Heard ya gonna live with us!” He was cooing and kissing her all over her face.  
“Yea, Jes!” She cried out, somewhat in alarm and somewhat in excitement. Jesse Dixon was not like Merle or William, he didn’t drink and get mean, he did however like to chase the wrong women, women who always had a man already ready to fight for her. He smoked, and stole things, but nothing that would ever get him a long jail stent.  
When he finally set her down, she smoothed her t-shirt, and nodded at him. “Abraham ya stayin for dinner.”  
“Depends what is it?” He asked curious.  
“Tacos.” She responded, showing him the cooked meat.  
“Best be good, sunshine, or I might just change my mind,” William called from the other room. Hannah made a sour face, but grabbed him a beer from the fridge and wormed her way from the kitchen and into the living room, she opened it for him, then kissed him on the forehead, taking his old beer. He slapped her ass, she yelped in surprise, but laughed.  
Daryl was in the bedroom, attempting to organize it in some manner so that Hannah would have her own place for things, other than in the floor. It wasn’t going very well. The trailer was small at best, and Merle and Jesse shared a room. Daryl’s room was added on, sometime long ago, and it was cramped with just him in it.  
“Whose bike is out front?” Jesse asked.  
“Daryl’s bought it today.” Hannah explained. “Needs some work, but it’s a fairly new gold wing.”  
“It’s nice.” Jesse said mostly as an afterthought.  
“Can get you one too.” She looked at him with a soft smile. “Were family and all.”  
…  
Merle watched Daryl and Hannah slink off to bed. He and Jesse were talking amongst themselves. Hannah had given Jesse about five hundred dollars, enough to get a bike from the same place in town that Daryl had gotten his from. William was fast asleep in his livingroom chair.  
Hannah shed her clothing, down to nothing but one of Daryl’s oversized t-shirts, and slipped into Daryl’s small bed before he so much as moved from securing the doorway. Daryl turned and looked at her, she was patting the bed next to her, and smiling. Daryl laughed somewhat to himself. He locked the door, and stripped to his boxers. “May I kiss you?” He asked her as he slipped into the bed next to her.  
“Anytime, love.” She laughed, feeling Daryl grab her face and kiss her lips, it was clumsy and full of affection, his heart beating loudly in his ears, and his whole world seemed like it was all around him.  
Love didn’t come easy for him, or the other Dixon men, but with Hannah home this summer seemed like it was going to be better already, and shit… getting her back was worth it, worth anything William Dixon wanted to do. The way he was feeling as he drifted to sleep, once the court had finished approving her living here maybe he would ask her to marry him.


	2. Summer's End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Middle to end of summer. Just tying up lose ends. Every story has to have a low point.

Merle watched Daryl and Hannah slink off to bed. He and Jesse were talking amongst themselves. Hannah had given Jesse about five hundred dollars, enough to get a bike from the same place in town that Daryl had gotten his from. William was fast asleep in his livingroom chair. 

Hannah shed her clothing, down to nothing but one of Daryl’s oversized t-shirts, and slipped into Daryl’s small bed before he so much as moved from securing the doorway. Daryl turned and looked at her, she was patting the bed next to her, and smiling. Daryl laughed somewhat to himself. He locked the door, and stripped to his boxers. “May I kiss you?” He asked her as he slipped into the bed next to her.

“Anytime, love.” She laughed, feeling Daryl grab her face and kiss her lips, it was clumsy and full of affection, his heart beating loudly in his ears, and his whole world seemed like it was all around him. 

Love didn’t come easy for him, or the other Dixon men, but with Hannah home this summer seemed like it was going to be better already, and shit… getting her back was worth it, worth anything William Dixon wanted to do. The way he was feeling as he drifted to sleep, once the court had finished approving her living here maybe he would ask her to marry him. 

…

By mid summer the family had settled into an easy enough pattern. Jesse and Merle managed to get jobs in town, William continued on his drinking binges, Daryl and Hannah spent most days swimming. It was right around the fourth of July that two of Merle's friends rolled in from California. Gareth and Philip Blake we're cousins who had very sticky fingers. They we're quick to steal from the other lake houses often stashing their stolen goods with Daryl’s family or with Rick.

Although neither boy was particularly fond of housing stolen goods. Merle’s orders were followed. Much to Daryl's displeasure Gareth had set his eyes on Hannah. Hovering around her, occasionally too close for her comfort. The night their lives changed was the fourth of July. The whole group was down at the pond, with tents set up in Hershel’s back yard, and fireworks set up on the floating docks.

Gareth had moved past Hannah, and worked his way towards Beth in a startling quick manner, the younger girl was fond, so fond of him and his flashing eyes. Always watching him like a little puppy. Daryl hated how much Beth seemed to be drawn to him, but there wasn’t much to be done for it. Until Gareth and Blake blew back outta town again. It had been more than two years since the last time Merle had saw the Blakes.

“Think we should spend the day scouting houses. That one on the ridge with the red mailbox is going to be empty tonight, the family is going back to New York for the week.” Philip was talking loudly at the breakfast table.

Hannah shot Merle a look, and he frowned. “I dunno, man.”

“What’s to know? Free shit, just waitin’ to be taken.” Gareth muttered, scarfing down the eggs she had made that morning.

“Seems cheap, man.” Daryl muttered. “Waiting for someone to leave, then takin’ their goods like yer entitled to it.”

“We ain’t askin’ you along.” Philip sneered. “Beth and Andrea already settled up to go.”

“Beth ain’t going without me or Hannah.” Daryl snarled.

“I’ll go.” Hannah declared. “We best get breakfast to the others ‘fore they kill us.”

“I’ll go too. Daryl, you stay around the lake tonight with the others, we won’t be long.” Merle clasped his brother on the shoulder.

Daryl knew that he was lying, knew that it was a bad idea to just sit idly by, but he also knew Merle and Hannah wouldn’t let anything happen to Beth. So for the rest of the day they drank, Hershel yelled at them to quiet down every now and then, but for the most part they splashed around and didn’t do much.

“Were lightin’ the fireworks at midnight.” Abraham told Merle, as the sun sank.

“We should be back by then.” Merle clasped Abraham on the shoulder and nodded his head towards Daryl, “Keep my baby brother close, don’t want him gettin’ in trouble. Hannah knows to get her bad Beth and hit the road if the cops show.”

“Good.” Abraham looked conflicted. “This isn’t a good idea.”

“I know, but I can’t let Beth go without someone lookin’ out fer her.” Merle muttered. “And Hannah wouldn’t stand a chance if they decided to get friendly.”

Abraham shook his head. “Be safe brother.”

Merle didn’t dwell on that too much, he had other things to worry about. He found the dirt bikes, all three that they were using, and watched as Hannah climbed on behind him. The sun already sinking low in the sky. “Merle, I’ll keep an eye on Beth, ok?”

…

Merle was livid. For one, the idiots had drank too much and had not properly disabled the alarm system in the house. For two, Andrea wouldn’t run like he ordered her. Third, he had no clue where Hannah and Beth were. He knew for sure he was cuffed in the police car, Andrea next to him, and the Blake’s long gone with the money. 

He growled, gritted his teeth and looked out across the lake, hoping Hannah had stuck to the plan. All the kids were strong swimmers, if Hannah could get her and Beth to the pond, they could hide under the floating docks for as long as they needed. But, he had noticed, Beth was drunk, and that didn’t bode well for him. 

Even as his thoughts consumed him, the first set of fireworks exploded in the night sky. Abraham would have continued on with the plan even if they were not back yet. Daryl would be livid. Merle glared towards Andrea, she looked somewhere between stoned and drunk, and he started to question exactly what the Blake’s had given the girls.

…

Heart pounding in her chest, Hannah drug Beth into the water. “Come on!” She ordered, flinging their shoes off. Hannah was a strong swimmer but Beth just wasn’t helping. Both Blake boys were right behind them. Hannah moved quickly, pulling Beth’s arms around her neck, draping the younger girl's body across her shoulders, then flung herself into the water. 

Her heart was thundering loud in her ears, and suddenly she was glad they had played a ‘save the victim’ game a thousand times over in her life at the pond, because Beth was definitely dead weight. When she made it to the first floating dock, she looked back to see the Blake’s struggling to swim. Apparently they were not good drunk swimmers. 

Hannah covered Beth’s nose and mouth the best she could then dunked them under the water. When she surfaced she grabbed the wooden slats, and held them tight. Wrapping her one arm around the weathered boards, hooking her elbow, and using the other arm to make sure Beth stayed high enough on her shoulders that she couldn’t drown.

Her teeth chattering in her skull she waited, she didn’t know what else to do. She could hear the sounds of the Blake’s being drug from the water. Relief that at least she wouldn’t have to see them again. Her arms were starting to ache, peeking through the slats she saw the cruisers were still on the side of the pond, but she could probably make it to the next dock, if she moved slowly and carefully in the water. 

Already worn down, she needed to make it. She could haul herself and Beth on that one, and wait out the night. It was hidden by a curve in the pond, and the cops wouldn’t be able to get to them without a boat. Slowly she slipped her arm from the rafters, and once more covered Beth’s nose and mouth. She was breathing, but very slowly.

Breaking the surface of the water, Hannah inhaled sharply, working to reposition Beth, and praying to whatever god there was out there that she didn’t drown on a fool's errand, she started strong slow strokes towards the second dock. The night sky was dark, and clouds covered the moon. She knew it must be approaching midnight. She sunk a little in the water, breathing hard, and feeling her lungs constrict. Three more feet and she would be at the dock. 

When her hand scraped the wood, she smiled. The next several minutes she floated, holding the dock, and Beth, working up the energy to shove Beth up the dock. She worked slowly, throwing both of Beth’s pale arms and head onto the wooden dock first, then grabbing at Beth’s waist, dunking herself underwater, and kicking as hard as she could to push Beth’s deadweight onto the boards. It took three lunges to get Beth on and rolled away from the edge.

Hannah was exhausted, and not sure how she was going to be maneuvering herself onto the dock, when she heard the first of the explosions against the night sky, looking up she thought about Daryl. Her heart racing, she managed to pull herself up, cutting the skin on her ribs as she went. Panting, lying spread eagle next to Beth, she watched the explosions for freedom wreck the night’s black sky.

…

Abraham, Morgan, Daryl, and Rick watched the police cars on the far side of the lake. Rick and Daryl shared a look, a frown on Daryl’s face. “They had a plan.” Was all he said. “We have a plan, stick to it.”

Maggie was clinging to Glenn, her face alive with fear. “We don’t know… if Beth got away with Hannah or not.” Glenn rubbed his girlfriend’s shoulders, and frowned.

“Either way as long as the Blake’s got arrested, were fine.” Sasha snarled.

“The way they have been drugging Beth and Andrea…” Carol growled.

“They were?” Glenn asked. “Thought you didn’t know for sure.”

“We didn’t.” Michonne offered. “Until Jesse found one of the drinks, ment for Beth.”

“Oh.” Maggie hiccuped.

“Hannah is a strong swimmer and she didn’t drink. Merle ‘nd her had a plan.” Daryl muttered. “They’d of followed it.”

Silence covered them, and the splashing calmed down, silence covered the pond after the first firework exploded, the police cars pulled away. Daryl was jumpy, looking out over the water, hoping to catch sight of Beth’s pale blonde locks. 

…

Beth woke first, afraid, and coughing. She looked around in the pale morning light, she couldn’t remember anything after taking a drink from Gareth. Her body was cold, and she was shivering. Beside her Hannah was stretched out, blood leaking from her side. Beth poked Hannah, “Wake up, Hanny, come on!” Beth shook her, no response. 

She was on the second floating dock, in the bend of the pond, if she knew her location correctly, the next floating dock was a good twenty minute swim, and Beth didn’t want to leave Hannah alone at all. If Beth was out here, it was because Hannah had saved her. 

“...Be...th…” Hannah whimpered, her eyes fluttering open, glad that Beth was hovering over her enough to block the sun.

“Thank god.” Beth breathed, kissing Hannah’s face. “What happened last night?”

“Gareth… Philip… robbed, drugged you.” She managed. “Almost died.” Hannah poked her hard in the ribs. Now that it was mentioned Beth was starting to remember some of that. Her face frowned. 

“Can you swim.” It was more of a suggestion, there was nothing on this side of the pond that could save Hannah or get them closer to Hershel. The third floating dock, however had a paddle boat on it.

“Maybe.” Hannah whimpered, sitting up, experimenting with her movements. “I might can.” She rasped. 

Beth lowered herself into the water, holding on to the dock with one hand, and helping Hannah in with the other. Hannah hissed as the water lapped against her torn flesh, and growled at Beth who tried to steady her. “Just, let’s work together to swim. I’m not as strong as you, in water.” Beth hissed irritated.

Hannah pressed her injured side to Beth’s left ribcage, hooked an arm around her neck, then started paddling with her free arm and legs, Beth followed suit. It was chilly and both were probably going to have pneumonia when this was through. Hannah was pretty sure she’d be lucky if she didn’t get some flesh eating virus from the pond. 

It was slow going and more than once, they had to stop, letting Hannah rest and float on her back. Her lips were blue, which had Beth more than concerned. When they finally made it to the dock, Beth’s heart stopped. The boat was gone. She could have screamed, instead she pointed them towards the ponds muddy shore line. It would be a two mile trek to Hershel’s from here, instead of a quick paddle, but it couldn’t be helped.

When they finally crawled, Beth dragging Hannah, to the shore, Beth flopped on her side, breathing in hard. Her mind raced, with flashes of the night before. Flashes of Hannah dragging Gareth off of her, of Hannah hitting him in the head with a statue of some sort. Flashes of Hannah pulling her underwear back up and hauling her towards the pond.

Beth sucked in air, trying to fill her lungs. Her legs felt heavy, and disconnected with her body. She fought to stand, and eventually drug Hannah up with her. Hannah had a confused, but determined look on her face. “We need to take a walk, Hanny.” 

Hannah grunted her response at Beth, and let the younger girl drag her into the woods. Each step sent a sharp pain through her body. Her shoulder ached from holding Beth under the floating docks, her legs felt like they belonged to someone else, and were slow to react to her brain's commands. 

…

“They never made it home.” Hershel told Merle, who was pacing.

“Look, Hershel, Hannah got Beth, and got to the water. I know that because I watched her drag Beth in with her, I was getting Andrea down there to go when the police came.” Merle explained.

“So, my drugged daughter, was being dragged into the pond by Hannah, who had just fought off Gareth because you and Philip were tangling up.” Hershel pinched his nose. “Merle, they could be dead.”

“Don’t say that shit, them little girls are fine, and I am gonna find them old man!” Merle snarled, storming from the house, and starting up the only fast boat on the pond. He checked each dock, his heart thundering in his chest, when he made it to the second one. Blood pooled over three of the wooden boards. He knew instantly if one of them had been injured they would have made for the third, he had noticed when he passed it there was no boat tied to it.

Turning the boat back towards it, he headed to the shore line, where he picked up tracks, one set of feet dragging another. He ran after them, his heart racing. He found Beth hands on knees panting, about fifty yards into the woods, beside her on the ground Hannah, her whole body shaking. 

Merle scooped her up and motioned for Beth to follow him. Everything seemed to be moving too slow for him. Daryl and the other kids had went into town, do some shopping before Beth and Hannah came home. The plan had been for everyone to meet at Hershel’s for lunch. 

The plan had been shot to shit he realized, the moment the cops showed up the previous night. He loaded both girls into the speedboat, and tore through the winding curves of the pond back to Hershel. The old man was still on the boat dock, where Merle had left him. Like he knew Merle would return with them.

The next moves were painstakingly blurry later, when Merle recounted them. They loaded both girls into the truck turned the heat on, and rushed them to the hospital. They were both suffering from exposure, Beth had been raped, and Hannah had a nine inch gash down her side, and had lost a lot of blood. Hannah also was showing signs of hyperthermia. 

…

It was the first of August before Hannah was once more at the Dixon house. William was hovering over her, which at first scared her, then she realized, he needed her alive for money to continue to flow into the house. He had her laid out on the couch. “Glad you're home.” He muttered.

“Where is Merle? Jesse? Daryl?” She asked, awake and starting to sit up.

“Merle and Jesse are in jail on assault charges, along with Noah and Abraham.” He answered. “They beat the Blake’s to death, but the cops can’t prove who actually killed them, so’s if it comes down to it, Jesse is gonna take the blame.” William paused. “Daryl is in town, went after some groceries. Hes been cooking since you was in the hospital. Shit, Hannah, don’t ever do that shit again. I wouldn’t have just lost you, darlin’ I’d of lost my boys.” William looked sober, she realized. 

“William, I love you.” She whispered. “I never wanna take your boys away.” 

He only nodded, covered her back up and sank down on the couch, letting her snuggle to him. “There momma left us, before she died, she was leavin.” William offered. “Leavin’ me for another man, we was never in love like you and Dar are, the way you two know how the other one is before anyone needs ta tell ya. Yer gran visited ya some in the hospital. Only reason we got to bring you home, was cause Hershel promised to keep on lookin in at ya.” 

She felt the warmth of William’s tears on her face, and she cried herself. This summer was supposed to be amazing, not this mess. William looked out the window, his gaze focused. Daryl had driven the truck, with three of the five motorcycles they owned strapped to the back of it. He was selling them, not because they needed the money, but because Daryl had something he needed to ask Hannah.

“Is Beth ok?” Hannah asked finally.

“She will be. Got good friends, who love her enough to almost die for her.” William commented, then, “Hannah, how come she couldn’t swim. Beth is a good swimmer, but from what she remembers and you said, her body wasn’t working, and you had to do everything.”

“Gareth slipped her something.” Hannah responded.

“Like a drug?” William asked once more.

“Yeah, would have done the same to me, but I belong to Daryl.” She muttered, her pretty face contorted with anger.

“Yeah, you do.” William agreed. “Beth’s pregnant.” 

“Oh.” 

“Yea, Hershel is gonna keep the kid. Beth’s at her granny’s up in Indiana. Gonna stay up there until the kid’s born. Left once they let her outta the hospital. Maggie went with her. Their older brother Shawn was already up there.” William spoke easily.

“How come you're being nice?” 

“Well, watchin both my sons loose themselves over you, sobered me up. Ain’t gonna miss anymore memories. If i hadn’t of been drunk, maybe this would’t of happened. I used to be a good father, before she…” He was done talking then, and Hannah respected that.

…

Jesse was sentenced to life in prison, and the other three were put on probation for the next five years. Anything even looking like assault would land them in jail right next to Jesse. Hershel hadn’t looked like he blamed her when he had stopped by to check on her the last couple days, for that Hannah was happy.

Daryl had announced he was getting his GED instead of finishing school, because Dale had offered him a job in his garage. Hannah announced she was going to get her GED, but that was because she didn’t wanna attend school. Not anymore. It wouldn’t be the same with out Beth or Maggie. They were her best female friends.

On August 23rd, when normally Hannah would have been drug away from the lake and back to Kentucky, Daryl surprised everyone by cooking dinner. It wasn’t much, just burgers on the grill. They had a few beers, and the whole group came. Glenn looked like a lost puppy, and Hannah couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. It was the first time she had saw most of them since the accident. 

As dinner wrapped up, Daryl pulled her into his lap, under the night sky, watching over the pond and whispered. “Gonna have to buy me that house, now.”

“Oh really, how do you figure that?” She asked, low to him, snuggling into his warmth.

“Cause I’m askin’ ya ta marry me.” He whispered it to her lips, kissing her softly and tugging a ring from his blue jean pocket. 

“Serious?” she asked, remembering a time when Daryl was 14 and had asked the question only to shove her into the pond.

“Sure am.” He muttered, kissing her jaw bone.

“Guess I best start lookin’ at houses.” She laughed, letting an easy feeling settle against her for the first time in a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is shorter than I wanted, but sometimes that happens. This is the end of this particular tale. If I want to revisit, I might. There are defiantly some places this story could go, and I think it would be fun. But at current I am working on a Winchester/Dixon cross over. Pray for me, that is harder than it sounds!

**Author's Note:**

> Not sure if I am going to continue this or not, depends on you guys :)


End file.
